domestic bliss

It's Friday night on Gabriola Island, and great is the tranquillity in the log cabin. I've made a beef stew which is in the oven; the fire is burning, and the pets are quiet for once. It did not rain, and the clouds lifted briefly to allow a brief sense of light and sky. Brief, but hope is there.

Right now the hubby and I are sitting at our separate computers with the BBC world news on TV. Before, he watched his favourite show about British people buying a home in the country. I have not yet gone to the studio to practice the piano and work, but we did take the dog for a walk in gorgeous Drumbeg Park. I saw an otter or seal bobbing in the water, fishing.

And then we bustled around each other in the kitchen; just now, I went to take the stew out to stir and found my hubby had tidied and already hung up the oven mitts. Soon we will eat and then watch something together. I will drink wine and he will have some of his mysterious smoke. We know how to have a good time.

Even more excitement on Wednesday, big night out - we went to see a local group who do "Twilight Radio Theatre," a funny takeoff on old radio programs, with sound effects. So we went to the Surf Lodge for dinner with Patsy, sitting by the window looking out at an incredible view of ocean and beach - empty, gorgeous even in wind and rain. Had a delicious meal in that beautiful place and then watched a funny show. Very welcome during 48 hours of dark skies and constant rain.

Last night was documentaries about photographers night - we watched one about a brilliant Brazilian photographer who photographs tribes, miners, and refugee camps and travels incessantly to shoot his wonderful if harrowing pictures. I kept thinking of his wife, alone at home with their children for many months at a time. And then the other end of the spectrum, a doc about Annie Leibovitz, photographer of the famous. I wanted to watch till we got to Susan Sontag but had to go to bed. Chris was already asleep.

I finished the book about death cleaning and am inspired; when I get home, there's a lot of work to do. But for now - supper to serve to my man. He stokes the fire, and I cook the meat. We're primal here. And God, stew mixed with wood smoke smells mighty good.